Come Jan. 1, Patricia Fahy will move from the State Assembly to the Senate, replacing the retiring Neil Breslin.

Fahy, a Democrat, in her run to represent District 46, bested Republican Ted Danz with about 54 percent of the vote. Danz got about 41 percent of the vote, with the remainder of the ballots blank, void, or listing write-in candidates.

Fahy dominated in Albany County, where both candidates live, while Danz garnered more votes in Montgomery and Schenectady counties.

In her victory speech on Election Night, Fahy said that when Montgomery and Schenectady counties were added to the 46th District with redistricting, it was a lift for Breslin. And, she said, “It is a lift for me,” as she thanked Albany County Democrats for their support.

Fahy, who lives in Albany, has served in the Assembly for 12 years. She focused on jobs, the environment, and education and currently chairs the Assembly’s Committee on Higher Education.

Fahy said she was running for the Senate to amplify her voice.

Danz, a businessman who lives in Guilderland, had an uphill battle against what he called “one-party rule” as Democrats in the district outnumber Republicans by more than 2 to 1.

The 46th District, with voters from Albany, Montgomery, and Schenectady counties, has roughly 95,000 Democrats, 46,000 Republicans, 6,000 Conservatives, 1,000 members of the Working Families Party, 9,000 voters enrolled in other small parties, and 56,000 unenrolled voters.

Danz garnered 44,673 votes on the Republican line and 7,656 votes on the Conservative line while Fahy amassed 62,083 votes on the Democratic line and 7,004 votes on the Working Families line, according to unofficial results posted on Election Night by the state’s board of elections.

Fahy also had more than 10 times the financial support as Danz with roughly $468,000 in contributions compared to Danz’s roughly $44,000.

Fahy did best in Albany County where she got roughly 68 percent of the vote to Danz’s 29 percent, with the rest of the ballots blank, void, or filled in for write-in candidates.

In both Montgomery and Schenectady counties, Danz bested Fahy. He got roughly 62 percent of the vote in Montgomery County to Fahy’s 32 percent. In Schenectady County, Danz amassed about 53 percent of the vote to Fahy’s 42 percent with the rest, again, being blank, void or for write-in votes.

Fahy supported Proposition 1, the constitutional amendment that adds to protected rights, which passed handily. 

“This is really about making sure that, despite what the Supreme Court has done, despite what other states may be doing, that in New York, we respect a woman’s right to make her own decisions,” Fahy said in an Enterprise interview before the election. “It certainly doesn’t change parental rights … It doesn’t change sports or anything that it’s been attributed to.”

While Danz vowed to end the state’s sanctuary status, Fahy supported spending money to help migrants.

“I’m the daughter of immigrants,” she said. “My parents came here with nothing and no education. I do know there can be expenses at the front end, especially for language services and help with finding apartments. But, in the end, I am a product of the investments made in public education.”

She also said, “Work authorizations are essential, so asylum seekers can become self-sufficient while their legal cases are going through.”

On the environment, Fahy said, “I think the state most definitely needs to proceed in mitigating climate change,” noting recent floods and hurricanes.

“We rarely go anywhere without hearing of what used to be called a natural disaster,” said Fahy. “We now know, and the science is telling us, there is nothing natural about these disasters … so we either pay now or we pay later.”

In her Election Night speech, Fahy said of her victory, “It means the world to me.”

She went on, “This victory is going to be so much sweeter if we have Kamala Harris as our president.”

Hours later, it became clear Republican Donald Trump had won.

Fahy’s son, Brendan Fahy Bequette, died of cancer on Feb. 28, 2022 at the age of 25. “I am missing my son tonight,” Fahy told the Democrats who had gathered at the Italian American Community Center. “Everything I do is in his name.”

She said the support keeps her, her husband, and her daughter going.

Fahy concluded, “I do hope somehow we will come together as a nation ….Working together is how we get it done.”

On Nov. 6, Fahy put out a statement, saying in part, “Like many of you, I am devastated over 4 more years of what will be division and negativity under Donald Trump. Now, our work begins here in New York in earnest — gaining even more importance due to last night's results. I will work my heart out to safeguard our rights and progress in New York, and for this Senate district as I truly believe our better days are yet to come.

“I will remain focused on the future; fighting for transformative projects to continue growing jobs and providing tremendous opportunities for the Capital Region. I will also listen hard to voters and continue to work on growing jobs, whether at the port or in the semiconductor industry — while growing housing to make our region more affordable, and at the same time addressing public safety.”